I couldnt be more excited and this is why... Im heading to the midwest!! Yup this WestCoast Cali girl is about to tear up the famous Arch and then move on to conquer ChiTown. Why you ask. Because it is my wonderful boyfriend's brother's wedding!!! Yayyyyy I love love! Oh today happens to be Paul (Boomers brother) birthday as well. Ugh I adore my fellow crazy, insane, emotional Geminis! More updates to come on all of the shenanigans from the trip! I love my life xoxo

So the trip was AMAZE-BALLS! The wedding was beautiful, the Brooner clan LOVES me, the midwest had acceptable weather, and I definitely left my mark.

Heres the breakdown-So I get there see the family (which I adore) and am trying to make a good impression. Of course I then fall (very ungracefully and in a dress no less) and break my shoe! This takes place during a planned "Bri's a tourist outting" which forces everyone to have to go home so I can get a new shoe. Then that night while taking a shower I decide to be hella lazy and try to reach for a wash cloth across the room instead of getting out of the shower to retrieve it. Im stretching out as far as I can trying to reach this damn cloth and just could not. Mind you I have a face mask on, which is starting to drip into my eyes and Im starting to get frustrated. So anyway, I step one foot out of the shower to get a bit closer to my wash cloth goal. As soon as my wet foot touches tile I go sliding across the floor, land in the splits, knock over a shit ton of bathroom items and smacking my head against the wall. Its so loud and obxious the entire family heads to the bathroom door and is knocking, screaming my name trying to make sure I just didnt kill myself. Meanwhile Im naked in the splits on the ground trying to yell that Im ok and praying they dont open the door. Yup... just butt ass naked with a face mask. Hey atleast I started the trip with a bang. We then travel from St Louis to Chicago by train. I am beyond excited because I've never traveled via train and was all smiley and doe eyed... for about 15 minutes. The excitement wore off pretty damn quickly. After the 5 hour, smelly train ride (I couldnt smoke, the bathrooms were equivalent to outhouses, the food was effing disgusting, and there were no martinis or even a man in a tailored suit playing classics on the piano) we fingally get to Chicago and I met his brother (the groom) for the first time. Immediately he decides to break the ice. Paul: "Hey Bri, Im going to play you a song. The reason I choose this song was because I wanted to try to make you feel comfortable, just like your at home!" Me: "Ummmmm... ok?" Paul reaches over and hits play on his stereo. Soon the Lion King song is filling the car. You know the in the beginning "Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba... its the circle of liffffeeeee". So I cant help but hide my confusion and somewhat anger as the song is playing... is this a racist comment or? Paul immediately notices my face, "OMG! No no no this not a racist thing! This is a sexist thing! Chicks LOVE Disney!" I couldnt help but laugh my ass off! PERFECT introduction! We then drove the hour to his apartment laughing and sharing stories. That night I also got to meet Katie (the bride) and we all made a lovely dinner. The next day I went shopping for new flats (since I had already broken a pair) and some discount items. I realize the following day that the flats I got didnt fit. Soooooo I promptly grab a knife and start making new holes in the straps so I can make them tighter. Memo to those reading- always take the shoe OFF! I ended up slicing a rather large chunk out of my finger, ran around in circles bleeding in the apartment of the brother I JUST MET, and in general making a fool of myself. Then again- thats nothing new. As for the rehearsal dinner and wedding, it went off without a hitch (phew)! It was gorgeous and fun and perfect and we danced the night away. Congrats Mr and Mrs Brooner!!!!! In all, it was a WONDERFUL trip and I had the time of my life. Thanks to my new fam bam and of course my wonderful boyfriend. I cant wait for another St Louis/ChiTown trip!!!